[On the Street]
The once-massive Titan army had all turned into heaps of scrap metal under Levi's onslaught.
Their remains lay on the ground, crackling with sparks and arcs of electricity.
Himeko looked at the scene before her, barely able to believe her eyes.
Why would that Herrscher help them?
"We're even."
A calm voice sounded. Himeko jerked her head up and saw the white-haired Herrscher standing atop the Hyperion, looking down at them.
Scanning the group of battered, battle-worn Valkyries, Levi reached up and patted himself.
'Good! No bleeding!'
Under Himeko's confused gaze, he cleared his throat and said, "I destroyed your warship and helped you take care of the Titan army. These two things, let's call them even."
"..."
What Himeko really wanted to know was why Levi had helped them.
But since he didn't offer an explanation, Himeko wouldn't dare to ask. She didn't want to irritate him.
Then Levi spoke again.
"Now, we need to talk about why you people decided to attack me first."
Himeko looked up and met Levi's sharp, cold gaze, remembering the power she'd just witnessed.
For the first time in her entire career as a Valkyrie, she felt powerless.
"I'm the captain of the Hyperion. I gave the attack order, it has nothing to do with anyone else."
"Like I give a damn!"
Levi's reply made Himeko's heart sink in despair. Maybe he had saved them only so he could kill them himself afterward.
Just as Himeko was about to lead the Valkyries into one final desperate battle, Levi's voice echoed through the air.
"I want you to take me out of Changkong City!"
Levi's tone was loud and commanding.
Rather than going to some unfamiliar place to start over with Raiden Mei, it was better to head to St. Freya Academy, where Theresa was.
That way, he could help strengthen Kiana and Raiden Mei, and also have a better chance at obtaining medicine or a method to treat the Honkai disease.
When Himeko heard Levi's "request," the expression of grim resolve on her face faltered.
———
[Some Time Later]
The support squad Theresa sent finally arrived, and every member of the team stared at Levi walking in the center with strange, wary eyes.
Levi ignored all their looks. Holding the sleeping Raiden Mei in his arms, he headed straight toward the aircraft's open hatch.
Elysia and Lumine followed close behind.
Under so many watching eyes, even though she wasn't doing anything, Lumine still felt her face flush with heat. She quickly hurried after Levi.
Elysia, who had traveled across many worlds and nations, was much thicker-skinned.
Under the Valkyries' awkward stares, she cheerfully waved and said, "Hi~ Hello, everyone~"
"..."
"Eh? Why isn't anyone saying anything? You're all such cute girls, how can you just stand there with those stiff faces? You've got to smile more!"
"Here, follow me, like this~"
Levi turned his head to glance at Elysia, who was trying to teach the Valkyries how to smile like adorable girls.
"If you don't get on soon, we're leaving without you!"
Anyway, the mission was only to help Kiana leave Changkong City. As long as Kiana left the city limits, the job was done.
As for these "assistants," it didn't really matter if they stayed or not.
But clearly, Elysia had no attachment to this city full of dead soldiers and Honkai beasts.
Hearing Levi's impatient tone, she immediately replied, "Coming, coming!"
She jogged into the aircraft. Himeko, standing by the hatch, followed close behind and shut the door.
With everyone aboard, the aircraft began to lift off. The outside scenery rapidly fell away as they ascended with a faint vibration.
Then the craft adjusted its direction and flew toward the outskirts of Changkong City.
During the flight, Levi placed Raiden Mei beside him. The two leaned against each other and fell asleep.
Lumine and Elysia also dozed off together.
Inside the aircraft, the only ones still awake were probably Himeko and the pilot.
But even if they wanted to sleep, they couldn't, not with a Herrscher sitting right there on board.
Himeko took out her communicator and typed a message to contact Theresa.
She briefly summarized everything that had happened in Changkong City.
After thinking for a moment, Theresa, far away in St. Freya, asked, "What's the name of the Herrscher who looks like me?"
"Not sure. None of them mentioned her name in front of us."
Himeko thought carefully and then shook her head.
"Then what distinctive features does she have?"
"Distinctive features… well, like you, white hair and blue eyes. Does that count?"
"It counts!"
A faint suspicion stirred in Theresa's heart.
'White hair and blue eyes', such a combination was extremely rare, even worldwide.
Only the Kaslana family, one of Schicksal's three great houses, was guaranteed to have that trait.
So if you came across someone with that "white hair, blue eyes" combination, you could almost always conclude they were a Kaslana.
But ever since Siegfried Kaslana, the head of the family, defected from Schicksal, the Kaslana family had rarely appeared in public.
Only a few members still served as active Valkyries on the front lines against the Honkai.
The rest seemed to have withdrawn into the family to rest and recover.
Once Theresa confirmed that the mysterious Herrscher was likely a Kaslana, the answer became obvious.
"Himeko, bring her back to St. Freya!"
"?"
"Theresa, have you lost your mind from reading too many manga? You want me to bring a Herrscher back to St. Freya?"
"Don't worry! Even if there's danger, I've got Judah!"
'Your so-called 'reassurance' doesn't even come close to one percent of Judah's reliability!'
"Fine… just be ready, then. Don't come crying to me when it turns into 'Herrscher Wrecks St. Freya Academy!'"
After ending the call with Theresa, Himeko turned to look at the four sleeping figures across from her.
They were all sleeping soundly. Because she was sitting close, Himeko could even see a bit of drool at the corner of the Herrscher's mouth.
It was hard to believe that such a harmless-looking girl could be a Herrscher.
If she had run into her on the street, Himeko would never have guessed it.
"Pilot, increase speed toward St. Freya."
"Where's St. Freya? It's not on the map."
"?"
A young voice replied, and hearing the unfamiliar tone, Himeko instantly grabbed her greatsword and turned toward the cockpit.
There, she saw Bronya, the twin-turbine duck, sitting in the pilot's seat.
Himeko immediately recognized her as the girl who had been restrained by the Herrscher earlier. Since she hadn't seen her since, Himeko had assumed the Herrscher had killed her.
She hadn't expected the girl to have snuck into the cockpit instead.
The original pilot had been knocked out by Heavy Bunny and was now stuffed under Bronya's feet.
"So that's why they were sleeping so peacefully, turns out one of their own was still here."
Pointing in a direction, Himeko smiled bitterly.
Turning the aircraft toward St. Freya Academy, Bronya replied, "Bronya decided to come along on her own. They don't know Bronya is aboard this aircraft."
"You were treated like that by her just moments ago, and now you've decided to follow her?"
Faced with Himeko's question, Bronya was silent for a few seconds before answering seriously, "Colonel Himeko, do you believe in fate?"
"Don't tell me the reason you followed her is because fate told you to?"
Bronya nodded earnestly. Himeko's eye twitched.
'Believe in fate? Believe my ass!'
Rather than believing in fate, Himeko was more inclined to believe that this gray-haired girl was just a masochist.
Or maybe she had Stockholm syndrome.
That would explain her decision better.
Seeing Himeko's skeptical expression, Bronya didn't bother to explain further.
That "fate" answer had just been an excuse anyway.
The real reasons were actually twofold.